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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24732211">elysium on earth</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/surrealmeme/pseuds/surrealmeme'>surrealmeme</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>elysium/élysée [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Portrait de la jeune fille en feu | Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Lesbian Relationship, Ending Fix, F/F, Fix-It, Happy Ending, Painting, Running Away, Translation Available</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 02:53:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>705</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24732211</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/surrealmeme/pseuds/surrealmeme</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sophie went to her room and immediately sat down at her small table. She took the paper and pen that lay on it and began to organize her ideas:<br/>•	10 days<br/>•	The delivery boy<br/>•	But money?<br/>•	Need a believable story -&gt; me<br/>•	Where? Somewhere far &amp; a larger town for anonymity<br/>•	Supplies -&gt; what’s essential? How to transport big things? Heavy things?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Héloïse/Marianne (Portrait of a Lady on Fire)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>elysium/élysée [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1788313</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>elysium on earth</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">

        <li>
          Translation into Français available: 
            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24732361">élysée sur la terre</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/surrealmeme/pseuds/surrealmeme">surrealmeme</a>
        </li>


    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Miss, your mother has sent a letter,” Sophie said, handing a small envelope to Héloïse.</p><p>Héloïse’s mouth downturned into a frown as she took it. A butter knife served as a letter opener and revealed a sheet of creamy ivory paper. As she read, her face brightened until she beamed.</p><p>“Good news?” Sophie asked.</p><p>“Yes. My mother has been delayed and will be arriving in a week and a half.”</p><p>Sophie didn’t say it, but she secretly agreed with Héloïse.</p><p>“Shall I inform Miss Marianne or would you like to do it?”</p><p>“I’ll go,” Héloïse said, gathering her skirts and quickly exiting the room.</p><p>Sophie sat at the table, reflecting on Héloïse’s stroke of good luck.</p><p>
  <em>I’m glad she’ll have more time, but it will only hurt more when she must leave.</em>
</p><p>Sophie sat a while more, idly turning an onion over in her hands until she heard a faint knock. It was on the gate, not the door, meaning that the delivery boy had come with the week’s groceries. Pulling a coat over her dress, Sophie hurried over.</p><p>“Your boat is quite large for just a few bags,” she remarked, pointing at the sailboat in the water.</p><p>The boy nodded.</p><p>“Yes,” he said. “I also ferry people here and there in it.”</p><p>“I see,” Sophie said, a little distractedly. “Have a nice day,” she said as she returned to the house.</p><p>+++</p><p>After preparing dinner, Sophie told Héloïse that she wasn’t feeling well and asked to go to bed early. Héloïse assented and assured her that she and Marianne would clean up.</p><p>Sophie went to her room and immediately sat down at her small table. She took the paper and pen that lay on it and began to organize her ideas:</p>
<ul>
<li><em>10 days</em></li>
<li><em>The delivery boy</em></li>
<li><em>But money?</em></li>
<li>
<em>Need a believable story -&gt; </em><em>me</em>
</li>
<li><em>Where? Somewhere far &amp; a larger town for anonymity</em></li>
<li>
<em>Supplies -&gt;</em><em> what’s essential? How to transport big things? Heavy things?</em>
</li>
</ul><p>Sophie sighed. Her idea had seemed brilliant at the time, but now she saw that it was impossible. She went to bed, having given up.</p><p>+++</p><p>“Do you paint many portraits?” Héloïse asked.</p><p>“Almost all my commissions are portraits, but I don’t get commissioned often,” Marianne said. “I have my own studio, though. I teach girls how to paint.”</p><p>“Where is your studio?”</p><p>“In Nice, across town from my father’s studio. I also live in the upper floor of the studio.”</p><p>At that, Sophie’s mind began to race, and she saw hope. She resolved to tell Marianne and Héloïse at dinner.</p><p>+++</p><p>“I hope I’m not overstepping by saying this,” Sophie started, “but I think I found a way for you to not have to get married, Miss Héloïse.”</p><p>The two other women were silent. Then,</p><p><em>“What?</em> Tell me,” demanded Héloïse.</p><p>“The boy that delivers the groceries also ferries people in his boat. If you pay him, he could take you off this island and onto the mainland,” Sophie said. “Your mother won’t return for over a week, giving you time to get things in order and go somewhere far away.”</p><p>“And what’s going to stop my mother from looking for me?”</p><p>Sophie looked down.</p><p>“I was thinking I could give your mother a story. Say that you… jumped from the cliff. Like your sister…” Sophie quieted. “I’m sorry, that was deeply insensitive.”</p><p>“No, it’s alright,” Héloïse said. “I think that could work. But I have no money. How will I find a place to stay or take a train?”</p><p>Sophie opened her mouth to speak, but Marianne was faster.</p><p>“Stay with me, in my studio. I have room, and no one will think you going in and out is strange. They’ll just assume you’re an older student or even an assistant.”</p><p>And just like that, Marianne had executed one of the trickiest parts of Sophie’s plan—suggest that Héloïse stay with Marianne.</p><p>“Would you truly?” Héloïse asked, as if she was afraid to hope. “Would you let me live with you?”</p><p>“Yes,” Marianne answered, voice resolute. “I’ve been dreading the day you have to leave. I would like nothing more than for you to live with me.”</p><p>Héloïse began to cry, and, in a sudden movement, embraced both Marianne and Sophie.</p><p>“Thank you. <em>Thank you</em>.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm practicing my French by translating this in the next work of the series! Please check it out if you know French.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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